Allergy Season

Allergies and asthma are some of the most common health problems in America. Nearly 40 million people, about 25 % of the population, suffer from either asthma or allergies.

Asthma is a very serious disease that can be life threatening in some cases. Attacks are caused by irritants such as allergens or over-exertion that cause the smallest air passage ways in the lungs to spasm and become congested with mucus. This causes difficulty in breathing, wheezing, and coughing.

Traditional allopathic treatments for asthma and allergies include allergy shots, inhalers, oral medications, and corticosteroids. Even with these advances in treatment options, sickness and death from these diseases appears to be rising.

In a recent study, children with asthma showed an overall improvement in lung capacity after only 15 chiropractic adjustments. Further findings that correlate abnormal spinal mechanics with asthma have been published by famed osteopathic researcher Alan Stoddard. Stoddard stated that many diseases are due to vertebral subluxations of the spine.

The way that the respiratory system can be affected with adjustments is through influence of the nervous system. The primary muscle used during breathing is the diaphragm, which separates the chest and abdominal cavities. This muscle is powered by the phrenic nerve which is composed of nerves that exit from the 3rd, 4th, and 5th vertebrae in the neck. If the nerve supply to this muscle is interfered with, as may be the case with a subluxation in the neck, the diaphragm may not function optimally and breathing may be impaired. Accessory muscles of breathing, the sternocleidomastoid, trapezius, scalenes, and pectorals, all operate to assist the diaphragm while breathing, and like the diaphragm, all need to have a healthy nerve supply to function properly. Subluxations can interfere with the normal nerve supply to these muscles leading to muscle imbalances and a weaker respiratory system.

Make sure your nervous system is in top shape this spring through regular chiropractic adjustments.